Student Stories WIT

Code Platoon Scholarships: Women in Technology

Preparing for a new career field can be an exciting process, but finding the right training program can be daunting. One of the main factors in choosing the right fit is cost. It’s not easy managing a career change while balancing everyday expenses. As a mission-driven nonprofit, Code Platoon’s goal is to provide viable financial options to our Veterans and military spouses, creating one less barrier between our students and their next profession.

To help ease our programs’ costs, we are fortunate enough to be able to provide generous scholarships to our students. Historically, students enrolled in our Coding Bootcamp programs have not had to pay more than $3,000 for their education. Here in this series, we break down the different scholarship opportunities, what they represent for us, and, more importantly, what they mean to some of our recipients.

The first scholarship that Code Platoon could offer to students was the Women in Technology scholarship with the intended goal of introducing more women Veterans into the tech field. While women make up roughly half of the workforce, careers in technology see a much lower turnout from women. According to reports to some of the biggest names in technology such as Google, Microsoft, Apple, and Facebook, less than a quarter of technical jobs are taken up by women. There are several reasons this could be the case, but it is an odd concept for women not to take up more space at the table when one considers that some of the most influential programmers have been women.

Ada Lovelace, the world’s first programmer, Katherine Johnson, who plotted some of NASA’s first flight paths, and Chicago born Mary Allen Wilkes, credited for working on (and owning) the very first personal computer are just a few to list. While Code Platoon commends the progress these women and others have brought to the field of programming, the Women in Technology scholarship is awarded to a fellow female Veteran in honor of Rear Admiral Grace Hopper, who was a pioneer in the tech field. Best known for her contributions to computer programming, software development, and the design and implementation of programming languages. Hopper developed the first compiler that translated mathematical code into machine-readable code, which was influential to creating the modern programming languages we know today.

One recipient of this scholarship is Christina Angeline, a Veteran of the Marine Corps who graduated from Code Platoon’s 9th cohort, India Platoon. After she was accepted to the program, Christina made the arrangements and moved to Chicago to be a part of the in-person Full-time program. From there, her life had changed radically.

“Getting the scholarship for Women in Tech really meant a lot,” says Christina. She had already exhausted her GI Bill benefits for an undergrad degree, and knowing that the program’s tuition was covered allowed her to better focus on learning how to code. “I’m grateful that they were there to help, and that Code Platoon has such a passion for helping people like myself, and Veterans and military spouses,” Christina says. She added that the Coding Bootcamp stands out from other programs because it’s tailored to the military-affiliated community.

Christina learned the programs Python and JavaScript, along with being certified for Agile, but the Code Platoon graduate also gained a new perspective on the soft skills of problem-solving. “The instructors point you in the right direction,” says Christina, noting that the environment Code Platoon provides students with the understanding that there are multiple ways to solve a problem.

It was only 25 days after Christina graduated with India Platoon that she landed a Full-time job with Lextegrity as an Associate Engineer. For anyone considering applying to Code Platoon or one of the scholarships available, she says, “Do it. One of the best decisions I’ve made in my life is going to Code Platoon. I’m doing what I love right now, and that’s coding.”

Amanda Michelle Gordon is one of Code Platoon’s summer interns, serving in the Content and Marketing department. She is a U.S. Air Force Veteran and a student of SUNY New Paltz for Journalism and Sociology. In her free time, Amanda enjoys reading, the outdoors, and turning coffee into the copy. You can find Amanda on LinkedIn and Twitter.

2020 Outcomes Report

CODE PLATOON GRADUATE OUTCOMES REPORT, AUGUST 2020

Since Code Platoon launched in 2016, our mission has been to prepare veterans and military spouses to become professional software developers. Our students have, over those years, completed ten 14-week sessions (cohorts).

A key component of our mission is to make our students ‘professional,’ which to us sets the bar of not only teaching students how to develop software but also preparing them for a new career in software development. We train our students on much more than necessary programming skills and emphasize the soft career skills and networking needed to get into the right jobs. Here are our results so far:

outcomes 2020

Code Platoon Outcomes 2020

  • Seventy-three (73) Veterans and military spouses graduated in our first ten cohorts.
  • Of those graduates, 59 (81%) found jobs in software development within six months.
  • The median salary of those graduates was $65,000.
  • Of the remaining 14 graduates, five went to work outside of software development, three looked for work but did not find it within six months, and four graduated but did not actively look for full-time jobs, and 2 were non-reporting.

Our graduates are more than simply employed; they have demonstrated great earning potential as well.

We attribute the excellent success rates of our graduates to several factors. First of all, our students come hungry to learn and dedicated to working long hours every day. Second of all, we have some great tech community partners who help our students with job placement. And, of course, there is the program itself.

We provide excellent technical training in software development.

First and foremost, we teach programming skills. We focus on two of the most in-demand languages Python and Javascript and powerful frameworks like React and Django. Our curriculum, designed and taught by our top instructors, is mostly hands-on, an hour or two of lectures a day, followed by lots of coding.

We recognize that technical skills are fundamental to getting a good job, but they are insufficient. These days, you need to know industry best practices, like debugging, pair-programming, and test-driven development. We teach that too.

We provide soft skills training and preparation for a career in software development.

We also prepare our students to find jobs and succeed in their interviews. We help write resumes and develop LinkedIn profiles. We teach our students’ interview skills and practice technical and behavioral interviews.

Because we work with the veteran community, we can tailor our interview prep to help our students tell their stories to civilian interviewers. We even try to prepare our students for the complexities of post-military life. We have seminars on personal finance, workplace sensitivity and inclusion, and growth mindset.

We provide internships and networking opportunities to help you get that first software developer job.

Getting your first job in a new field like programming and development is hard. Paid internships are available at the end of the In-Person program To bridge the gap from training to getting a job.

And we know that nothing helps in getting a job like knowing people in the business. Code Platoon students are paired with industry mentors and professional software developers who volunteer as teaching assistants. By the end of our program, each of our students should have met at least ten professional software developers.

None of these factors is the single determinant in the success of our students after graduation. Each part of our program and culture adds to the success that starts with the attitude and aptitude of the veterans who come to Code Platoon!

Rod Levy is the Founder and Executive Director of Code Platoon. He holds undergraduate and Master’s degrees in engineering from Cornell University and an MBA from The University of Chicago Booth School of Business, where he graduated with honors. Rod has also completed Dev Bootcamp’s web developer program.

What is a Hackathon

What the Hack is a Hackathon?

Code Platoon is hosting a hackathon in a few short weeks. It’ll be a first for the Veteran and military spouse Coding Bootcamp and while we are all very excited for the upcoming event we had to ask ourselves a very important question. What is a hackathon?

Well, imagine for a moment that there is a room filled with some of the sharpest minds imaginable working towards a common goal with a finite amount of time. Sounds like a cause for a good, right?

That’s the bare essential of a hackathon, so don’t let the name of the event throw you off. Hackathon’s take place in the form of a limited-time activity with the specific purpose of solving a problem or creating something for a community in the way of software. It’s a marathon among good-doers, not for the criminal breed of hackers who want to break into your bank or twitter account.

The word ‘Hackathon’ is the blending of the words “hack” and “marathon.” The design of these events is akin to Film 48 competitions, where teams or individuals strive to create the best product within a set time limit and whatever resources are available.

Depending on the host of the event, the challenge can last anywhere from a few hours to 48 hours. The challenge programmers take on also vary. It could be creating an app that helps target and communicate with a particular group of people, designing a web interface for a company, maybe even making a mobile game for smartphones. Whatever the theme or case is, hackathons test participants’ skills on the spot while bringing some good into the world.

While the ultimate goal of a hackathon is to find a solution, nobody said it has to create a complete solution. Granted, it would be great if one could go from an idea to a fully developed application in two days or less without any bugs. Some hackathon creations have gone on to score significant payouts, too, but the main point is to get participants to test their innovations. As well as have a little fun hopefully.

Aside from the sprint challenge of creating a solution from scratch, hackathons can also be a great way to network. Whether you are attending a hackathon as a student, in the early stages of working as a programmer, an employer in need of a few good hires, or a seasoned professional in the field, interacting with fellow coders can lead to new opportunities for all. Some of these events also offer a chance to learn programming skills through workshops led by pros, skill levels ranging from novice to advanced and can be attended by people of all ages.

Code Platoon is hosting its first hackathon event Oct. 16-18, and you can consider this your invitation to join! Not ready for the challenge? No problem as there will also be virtual workshops on Intro to Coding, Cyber Security, React, and Tech Job Prep. Are you a Veteran or a military spouse who is interested in a Coding Bootcamp?  If so, please reach out to our Student Outreach Coordinator, Greg Drobny, at greg@codeplatoon.org today!

Amanda Michelle Gordon is Code Platoon’s Content Marketing Coordinator. She is a U.S. Air Force Veteran and a student of SUNY New Paltz for Journalism and Sociology. In her free time, Amanda enjoys reading, the outdoors, and turning coffee into copy. You can find Amanda on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Naming our cohorts

Naming our Cohorts and the Military Alphabet

One of the most common questions we get asked at Code Platoon is how we name each of our 14-week cohorts. The answer is pretty simple. We call each group in sequence to match the military phonetic alphabet. Our first cohort was named Alpha Platoon, and our next session, beginning in October, will be Mike Platoon with November Platoon to follow in February 2020.

So the more significant question must be—how did the military alphabet come into existence?

The military phonetic alphabet uses 26 code words to represent each letter of the alphabet. The Military Phonetic Alphabet’s functionality is a communication tool for military and civilian people alike, most often used to detail error-free spelling.

British and American armed forces each developed and used their own, different phonetic alphabets. British troops adopted the Royal Air Force’s phonetic alphabet, similar to the phonetic alphabet used by the Royal Navy in World War I.

Initially, the U.S. had separate phonetic alphabets for the Army and Navy. The U.S. adopted the Joint Army/Navy Phonetic Alphabet from 1941 to standardize all branches of its armed forces. The U.S. alphabet became known as Able Baker after its words for A and B.

The U.S. and British forces then adopted the universal NATO phonetic alphabet in 1956. That phonetic alphabet remains in use today and is used worldwide by the military, air traffic controllers, and other industries.

So what will happen when Code Platoon completes 26 cohorts and exhausts the use of a single letter designation for each platoon? We will go to designations utilizing two letters from the military alphabet – Alpha Alpha, Alpha Beta, Alpha Charlie, etc.

NATO Phonetic Alphabet

Jim Hennessey is Code Platoon’s Director of Marketing. Jim brings a strong background in no-profit marketing and start-up enterprises to the mission of Code Platoon. Jim is a graduate of Clemson University and currently lives in Chicago. Follow Jim on LinkedIn.

A Brief and Fun History of Coding: Silicon Valley

A Brief and Fun History of Coding: Silicon Valley

Following that crazy time at the height of the Cold War known as the Space Race, many engineers and various people in the newborn stage of computer development began to recognize the value of computing technology and what that meant for the world as a whole.

These advancements had lifted man into the upper reaches of our atmosphere and even landed him on the moon—what else could they do?

But even prior to these events, the groundwork was being laid in another part of the country that would help set the stage for unprecedented growth in the field of technology. For reasons that are somewhat disputed—possibly because we like to argue a lot as humans—a great many of those who realized this potential gathered in a region of Central California known as Santa Clara Valley.

At one point responsible for producing 30% of the world’s plums, the bountiful farmland was a neighbor to Stanford University, which came into existence largely due to its namesake making a fortune with railroads bringing people and goods to and from these crops. Two alumni from the prestigious research institute became the original “garage startup” that still directly impacts how the computing world operates.

William Hewlett and David Packard began their business in 1939 by making electrical test equipment out of a one-car garage in Palo Alto at the behest of Frederick Terman, an electrical engineer with Stanford who not only helped turn the university’s program into one of the best, but also worked hard at convincing many of its graduates to stay in the area and also start their own businesses.

Both during and following the war, the Department of Defense began pouring money into the technological development groups in Stanford’s sphere of influence. Relevant to our concerns here is that, according to some sources, Stanford increased its Freshman class size in 1948 by over 1000, mostly due to the newly-formed GI Bill, which returning war veterans could use to go to college.

This led to a substantial increase in the fields of engineering specialists, and innovators in the field recognized that very thing. After some in-fighting that would take a soap opera to explain (or make you more confused, whichever), Nobel Prize winner William Shockley moved west and opened a semiconductor business in Mountain View, California and hired the best and the brightest Stanford had to offer.

These individuals were so good, in fact, that in a funny twist of fate they outsmarted their boss and recognized that the materials he was using for semiconductors was not as heat-resistant as other materials. After Shockley refused to change, the “traitorous eight” (as Shockley called them) left to form Fairchild Semiconductors in 1958 and produced the first integrated circuit on silicon—arguably the most important invention of the computer age.

To put this in perspective regarding the importance of timing of events and how it would impact the advancement of computing technology, it was 1957 that saw the first-ever human-created satellite orbiting the earth in space—the Soviet Union’s Sputnik-1. The immediate need for smaller, lighter, and more efficient computing technology was nowhere considered more important than the pun-intended launching of the Space Race, and the US government took note of what was happening in California.

With the Cold War becoming a greater and greater concern, many in the US saw the benefit of technology, even beyond the obvious uses in the Space Race. For example, it is a rather short line to draw from the US Department of Defense’s recognition of the need for advanced technologies to the creation of DARPA (Defense Advance Research Projects Agency) and subsequently ARPAnet—the precursor to the Internet.

The combination of private industry recognizing a need for integrated circuits that could house greater amounts of data in smaller spaces with Cold War concerns that compelled Defense Department agencies to subsidize these industry advancements (and demand more) led to an explosion of growth in the area we now know as Silicon Valley, with numerous top companies setting up shop there.

Two of the founders of Fairchild Semiconductors left that organization to found a company named Intel in 1968—one you may have heard of, given that they invented the first microprocessors and became one of the most successful and influential companies in the world. AT&T, Texas Instruments, and Energizer all debuted heavily influential products there. And Apple, whose innovations continue to reshape our world, seems to have arisen mostly from the desire to do something different than what everyone else was doing in the same area.

But there is a key moral to this story that goes beyond a simple history of how Silicon Valley shaped the computing world. While it is interesting to know how we got here, history is much better applied to the field of “lessons learned” than simply the novelty of the past, even in regards to the world of coding, and from the same lesson we can see both a cautionary note as well as an encouraging one.

The lesson here is that Silicon Valley is somewhat of a Black Swan, and flowing from that in true Nassim Taleb-like fashion are both warnings and inspiring admonitions. For example, the confluence of events leading to the innovations of Silicon Valley cannot be duplicated. World War II, the rise of the Soviet Union, the Space Race, and the invention of the integrated circuit were highly unique occurrences all in their own right, but the fact that these events took place in the lifespans of one generation—along with so many other factors—make this an impossible set of circumstances to recreate. Although other Black Swans will surely come along, be leery of those who race to duplicate the unpredictable.

The inspiration, however, is in the recognition that creativity often comes from not knowing any better and not having any rules constraining the creator simply by nature of the fact that they are not yet written. Those who developed the first microprocessor didn’t do so because it was written down that they had to do it—they needed something that worked more efficiently and were afforded the freedom to problem-solve the best way they saw fit.

Software engineering and development is, broadly speaking, about creating a solution to a problem that has never been solved by using the structures of languages while not being totally constrained by how it has been used in the past. Like writing a book, developing software may use the same language as numerous other books already published, but in a combination never before seen.

The history of Silicon Valley should show us that the goal is not to duplicate, but rather to learn the lessons of what really smart people have done and make it a little bit better. Come to Code Platoon to figure out how you can start doing exactly that in the world of computing and software development.

Greg Drobny is a former Airborne Infantryman, PSYOP Team Chief, political consultant, professional mil blogger, and is Code Platoon’s Student Outreach Coordinator. He holds a BA in history, a Masters of Science in organizational psychology, and is currently pursuing an MA in history. He is married with four children who keep him more than slightly busy and is passionate about helping veterans find their paths in life and develop the skills needed to pursue their goals.

Weathering the Program

Weathering the Program: Meteorologist Tackles Coding Bootcamp

There is a misconception that needs to be addressed when it comes to careers in technology. While millennials and zoomers are known for being tech-savvy, embracing technology is not solely reserved for the generations that grew up with the internet.

Steve Woll, 58, can attest to this fact. A Navy Veteran who served as a Meteorology and Oceanography Officer for 21 years. After separating in 2008, Steve maintained a career within the private sector’s weather industry, and while working the business side for a couple of companies he rediscovered another career from his past: coding.

“I was a computer science major undergrad and actually worked as a coder for a couple of years before I joined the Navy,” says Steve. He left the programming world behind but didn’t forget the basics and began to reintroduce the field into his life as a hobby initially. He recognized however that he was not taking full advantage of the craft, being unfamiliar with the recent advances made in the technology and programming languages. “I realized I wanted to get my skills updated so that I could do this stuff more efficiently. So I started looking around at various coding academies.”

Steve knew he wanted to take advantage of his G.I. Bill benefits and began to look for a coding program that would fit his needs and it was through Operation Code, another nonprofit committed to getting military Servicemembers into the tech field, that Steve found Code Platoon. “It being a Veteran-focused camp appealed to me right away,” says Steve. After doing his research he reached out to Rod Levy, Code Platoon’s founder and CEO, and applied to join the 12th Full-time cohort, Lima Platoon.

“It’s been challenging, and there was a significant amount of pre-work we had to do that was very good for me,” Steve says noting that he had a pretty steep learning curve to begin with and the work he did in the second phase of the application process helped prepare him for the program and the challenges he would experience. While he has had experience within the coding realm there have been significant changes in the 30 years since Steve has worked in the field. Technology, the best practices, and even the mindset of programmers have evolved in the 21st century but one thing that shouldn’t change, and Code Platoon proves, is the value of teamwork.

“I think that’s been the best part. It’s what I expected knowing that this was a Veteran oriented program, but nonetheless, it’s good to work with people who you know are used to teamwork and helping each other out and working towards common goals,” says Steve. “As a Veteran, you feel comfortable with other people who serve.” He also commends Code Platoon’s ability to integrate Veterans into civilian and technology culture, as well as Code Platoon’s dedication to making the program inclusive to military spouses.

The average age of a Code Platoon student is 33, and while Steve is on the older side of the spectrum, the advice he has for those considering a Coding Bootcamp is sound advice for people of all ages. Get to know the program you’re interested in and the instructors you would be learning from, and give yourself time to get comfortable with the programs you’ll be working on because in an accelerated program like Code Platoon once the class begins it doesn’t slow down. Upon completion of Code Platoon’s Full-time program, Steve will be back to work bringing science, data, and technology together, applying the lessons and skills from Code Platoon to help field improved technological solutions for real-world problems.

Amanda Michelle Gordon is one of Code Platoon’s summer interns, serving in the Content and Marketing department. She is a U.S. Air Force Veteran and a student of SUNY New Paltz for Journalism and Sociology. In her free time, Amanda enjoys reading, the outdoors, and turning coffee into copy. You can find Amanda on LinkedIn and Twitter.

How to Pay for Code Platoon – Skillbridge

Preparing for a new career field can be an exciting process, but finding the right training program can be daunting. One of the main factors in choosing the right fit is cost. It’s not easy managing a career change while balancing everyday expenses. As a mission-driven nonprofit, Code Platoon’s goal is to provide viable financial options to our Veterans and military spouses, creating one less barrier between our students and their next profession.

In this four-part series, you will learn a bit more about potential funding options and how you can apply them to your training at Code Platoon! In this post, we cover SkillBridge.

Skillbridge

In the last 180 days before separation from their service branch, Servicemembers are able to gain valuable skills they can apply to the civilian workforce through apprenticeships, internships, and hands-on training programs. While participating in SkillBridge, Servicemembers are able to continue to collect their military compensation and benefits.

The SkillBridge program, operated through the Department of Defense, is an excellent opportunity to seamlessly assist Servicemembers transition from their military careers and gain a headstart in the civilian sector. It’s programs like this that aid in not only lowering the rates of Veteran unemployment but elevate them into industries that they are historically less likely to be employed in. With an estimated 200,000 Servicemembers separating from the military each year, it’s vital for this population to take advantage of every opportunity afforded to them.

As an approved SkillBridge program, Code Platoon provides transitioning Servicemembers with an opportunity to develop in-demand job programming skills while still serving. Servicemembers who participate via SkillBridge can use their last 180 days of active duty to train in Code Platoon’s Full-time Coding Bootcamp.

Who is eligible: Military Servicemembers within 180 days of separation or retirement.

Benefit received: Skillbridge students are eligible to apply for Code Platoon scholarships, up to $16,000. You may also be eligible to use your GI Bill benefits if you attend in-person at our Chicago classroom.

Why SkillBridge might be a good fit for you: If you are within 180 days of separation or retirement, this is a great opportunity. You will be able to train with Code Platoon, increasing your employability immediately upon graduation.

How to Apply: You must work with your commanding officer to secure approval. We have an MOU with the Navy, which we can provide. We also have an Introductory Letter and Command Authorization form that you can use. Our team is available to provide individualized assistance to Skillbridge students, as we know each commanding officer may require something different.

Any questions? Email Greg, our prospective student outreach coordinator, at greg@codeplatoon.org

Alicia Boddy is Code Platoon’s Chief Operations and Development Officer. Alicia oversees Code Platoon’s day to day activities including fundraising, grant writing, board development, and strategic planning. Alicia also serves as our VA certifying official, helping students navigate their benefits with the Department of Veteran Affairs. Alicia loves living in Chicago with her husband, Jeff, and three kids. You can often find them exploring the city, eating Lou Malnati’s pizza, and cheering on the Cubs, Blackhawks, and Buckeyes!

The Intern Experience

The Intern Experience: Reflections on our Summer at Code Platoon

As summer interns for Code Platoon’s 12th Full-time cohort, Lima Platoon, we’ve had the pleasure of witnessing the transition of 16 talented students from experienced military Veterans and spouses of Servicemembers into skilled web developers. We worked as TAs, nudging students to the correct answer when they were stuck on a problem or they had run into a creative block. Yet, “peer-tutors” might have been a better title for us, as we were closer to the students than the instructors in terms of experience.

Walking into this position, we didn’t fully understand the material ourselves. We’d familiarize ourselves with each topic about a week before the students learned it, and then we’d jump in to help. Django back-end development, React front-end development, and SQL strategies are just a few of the programming skills we learned along the way. This learning-teaching cycle not only helped us empathize with frustrated students but also reinforced the concepts in our own minds.

That said, the soft skills we’ve gained are possibly even more valuable, as we intend to incorporate them in both our careers and our everyday lives. As university students, we had almost no experience as true job seekers. Luckily, a large part of Code Platoon’s curriculum is dedicated to finding programming jobs and landing them. Building succinct resumes and LinkedIn profiles with the guidance of experienced programmers alongside the students, as well as witnessing dozens of mock interviews were some of the amazing opportunities, unique to this internship.

It was especially impressive to see how well Code Platoon’s staff and students adapted to the unexpected transition to a remote classroom. Although meeting everybody face-to-face would have been ideal, the instructors’ resilience and the student’s self-reliance were great examples of what it takes to be successful in tech. While COVID-19 certainly altered our experience, the ability to acclimate quickly to significant changes is one we hope will stay with us for life.

Despite the distance between us, through one-on-one instruction and general classroom conversation, we’ve been lucky to build relationships with each of our students. Although we never expected everybody to be cookie-cutter computer scientists, the variety in their lives still surprised us. Some of them walked into the classroom already comfortable with the frameworks we would learn, while others came from technology void pasts. Regardless of the different experience levels and paths that led students to Code Platoon, they all have one thing in common: they’re all motivated to learn and grow as web developers.

It has been a joy to work, teach, and learn with Lima Platoon. Their self-discipline provides further guidance for how we want to live our lives. We wish them the best in however they choose to apply their new knowledge!

Merrill O’Shaughnessy is one of Code Platoon’s summer interns and a T.A. for the full-stack web development course. She is currently studying computer science and mechanical engineering at Duke University and is interested in UX /UI design. Follow Merrill on LinkedIn or find her on Dribbble.

Gus Petito is one of Code Platoon’s summer interns and a T.A. for the full-stack web development course. He is interested in the theory and application of machine learning and data visualization/analysis. He studies mathematics and computer science at Cornell University. Follow Gus on LinkedIn.

A Brief and Fun History of Coding: The Space Race

In the first installment of this series, we looked at the origins of computers and the coding languages they relied on, to include the notable personalities involved. This also showed us just how much had been accomplished in a short period.

We basically went from an abacus to complex coding languages in a window of time that was barely bigger than that of I Love Lucy’s television stint.

What really kicked that development into high gear, however, was man’s desire to go higher, farther, and faster than anyone had before. With a special ode to The Right Stuff, the US government needed tech and bucks to have Buck Rogers, and the space race was on.

Rocket Mercury 7

Formed in 1958, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) quickly started its Mercury Program, the intent of which was to launch a manned flight into orbit around the earth and, in the process, also investigate how human beings operated in space. Due to the realities of the Cold war and the desire to beat those pesky Ruskies, the US government began hurling money at NASA in order to accomplish these goals.

While a great deal of attention is given in the telling of this story to the men who came to be known as the Mercury 7—the test pilots who brought the term “astronaut” to life—less popularly discussed is the technological revolution compelled by this program. The best way to go higher and faster is, after all, directly related to making the components involved lighter and more efficient, so advancements weren’t just helpful—they were necessary.

Enter Art Cohen. With his team at the IBM Space Computing Center in Washington, D.C., Cohen was responsible for all the computer wizardry involved in Project Mercury. With machines that were far less powerful than the device you are currently holding in your hand (and with way, way less storage), Cohen and his team accomplished amazing feats. In his words,

“We had pretty sophisticated programs for Mercury. All kinds of mathematics — orbit mathematics. Differential correction, sliding wire techniques, short arc techniques, re-entry, knowing the positions of all the radar sites, acquisition. We told them where to point the radars and we told the ships where to go for landing.  So it was a lot of complicated stuff that we did with those 32,000 pieces of storage. It’s kind of remarkable when you think about it, isn’t it?”

Remarkable is one way to put it. Another is to say that by today’s standards this was the equivalent of using a child’s toy to, well, put a man into orbit.

Of special note here is a story that is not necessarily about the development of a programming language or coding technology per se, but interwoven throughout the space program and integral to its development.

Since World War II, NASA (and its predecessor NACA) employed hundreds of “computers” to track trajectories of both high-flying aircraft and, later, spacecraft by reading, plotting, and analyzing data. What made these computers special, however, was that they were all women.

Langley Research Center

According to NASA, Mary Jackson “may have been the only black female aeronautical engineer in the field” in the 1950s. Singer and actress Janelle Monáe plays her in the film Hidden Figures

The Langley Research Center, specifically, employed approximately 400 female “human computers” for mathematical computations from 1946 onward. A specific subset of this group was known as the West Area Computers—a segregated collection of African-American women who were at first disallowed from working in the same area as everyone else.

Featured in the brilliant film Hidden Figures, these women were the definition of trailblazers, knocking down the walls of perception with their tremendous skills. While theirs is certainly a story worth diving deeply into, relevant here is how they integrated their mathematical abilities with programming languages like FORTRAN—in some instances demonstrating their ability to fact-check the programming, showing how fundamentally important the human component is in computational work.

They were integral to the space program, plotting flight trajectories for Mercury 7 astronauts like Alan Shepard and John Glenn, as well as how it integrated people with machines and, more importantly, with each other.

“Computers” were, then just as now, reliant on not just human input, but the creativity that comes from a diversity of backgrounds. This is something we at Code Platoon work diligently to shine a light on, with some of our scholarships reflecting exactly that. As we saw in the first installment of this series and a theme we will continue with, the history of coding and computers is made up of all types with a variety of backgrounds.

Working at IBM during the same time the Mercury Program was underway was a man by the name of Kenneth Iverson. Possessing one of those rare minds that doesn’t come around all that often, after teaching himself calculus—because he had to drop out of school due to the Great Depression and work on the family farm—and earning a PhD in Mathematics at Harvard, Iverson published a work entitled A Programming Language, from which was born APL—a language that, once formalized, was used to teach systems design at NASA.

APL was able to make very complex functions into concise coding, which was a substantial step forward when it came to speed and efficiency—valuable commodities when launching rockets carrying humans into space. And lest people think that the relationship between NASA and IBM was just a casual one, the latter was awarded $26 million—about $260 million in today’s dollar—for the purpose of building a new computer designed to work in the space ship.

All of the work done by people like Cohen and Iverson convinced NASA to deliver loads of cash to IBM’s bank accounts, thus enabling the development of even greater leaps forward in computing technology, which inherently relied upon better and better coding.

That is exactly what Margaret Hamilton provided. With an undergrad in math, Hamilton was working at MIT when the Apollo program was launched at NASA and found herself in charge of onboard flight software for the Apollo computers.

Of course at this time and in that context, software coding meant she was punching physical holes in punch cards which would then be turned into actual copper wiring that ran through or around magnetic rings (representing either a 1 or a 0). This “hard-wiring” became the flight navigation for the Apollo moon landing—the first of its kind that would inspire navigation systems on aircraft for decades to come.

Margaret Hamilton Apollo 8She described what they were doing at that time like “the Wild West” because no one knew what they were doing—there were no “rules” for software development because no one had really done it. And she was figuring it out for spacecraft going to and around the moon (and it’s a good thing she did figure it out, because in the case of the Apollo 8 mission, the astronauts may not have made it home without her work).

Ultimately, necessity and personalities spurred great leaps forward in technology, just as they have throughout human history. But the 1960s, specifically, were a time of radical development, and it was largely due to the US government’s desire to beat the Soviet Union into space, combined with the diverse talents of women like Dorothy Vaughan and Katherine Johnson of the West Area Computers, working mother Margaret Hamilton, as well as men like Art Cohen and Kenneth Iverson, whose innovations laid the groundwork for modern computing being applied to moving from one place to another.

It just so happened that the other place that inspired such rapid innovation was 286,000 miles straight up, which was a bit more advanced than just breaking German codes in World War II.

Greg Drobny is a former Airborne Infantryman, PSYOP Team Chief, political consultant, professional mil blogger, and is Code Platoon’s Student Outreach Coordinator. He holds a BA in history, a Masters of Science in organizational psychology, and is currently pursuing an MA in history. He is married with four children who keep him more than slightly busy and is passionate about helping veterans find their paths in life and develop the skills needed to pursue their goals.

How to Pay VET TEC

How to Pay for Code Platoon – VET TEC

Preparing for a new career field can be an exciting process, but finding the right training program can be daunting. One of the main factors in choosing the right fit is cost. It’s not easy managing a career change while balancing everyday expenses. As a mission-driven nonprofit, Code Platoon’s goal is to provide viable financial options to our Veterans and military spouses, creating one less barrier between our students and their next profession.

In this four-part series, you will learn a bit more about potential funding options and how you can apply them to your training at Code Platoon! In this post, we cover VET TEC.

VET TEC

Veteran Employment Through Technology Education Courses (VET TEC) is a government program to fund veteran job training in the technology field. The program, which is run by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, is intended to give Veterans opportunities to learn highly sought after tech skills that will land them in today’s top industries and career fields. VET TEC will pay for veterans to get training in technology jobs without consuming their GI Bill® benefits.

VET TEC is specifically designed to not only incentivize the successful completion of a program but to ensure those who participate in the program apply the skills they have learned by how VET TEC has set up their “pay-for-performance” model.

The VA will pay the Training Provider:

  • 25% of tuition and fees upon the Veterans enrollment and arrival to the program.
  • 25% of tuition and fees when the Veteran completes their training.
  • The remaining 50% will be provided to the Training Provider once the Veteran has secured meaningful employment based on the field they studied for.

Code Platoon is a VET TEC Training Provider and the VET TEC option is offered with every one of our training cycles.

The Code Platoon training you’ll receive through VET TEC is the same experience you’d get when attending via GI Bill, scholarship, or self-funding. Students will be in the same classrooms, learning the same things with the rest of our Coding Bootcamp students; the only difference is how the VA pays for your attendance.

When you apply to Code Platoon please note your interest in VET TEC on your application. You will also need to complete the VET TEC application process.

If you have any questions about VET TEC, please email Greg, our student outreach coordinator, at greg@codeplatoon.org

Alicia Boddy is Code Platoon’s Chief Operations and Development Officer. Alicia oversees Code Platoon’s day to day activities including fundraising, grant writing, board development, and strategic planning. Alicia also serves as our VA certifying official, helping students navigate their benefits with the Department of Veteran Affairs. Alicia loves living in Chicago with her husband, Jeff, and three kids. You can often find them exploring the city, eating Lou Malnati’s pizza, and cheering on the Cubs, Blackhawks, and Buckeyes!